Landon and big games (R)

[Ringo]

Landon gets a rep for disappearing in big games, but I read he has a goal or an assist in 11 of the last 12 WCQs. Sounds like he shows up to me.

Question: Do you trust Landon to come through in big games when we need him.


Also, I read a NYT news service story that hinted Landon may have been a bit fired up because he didn't get the captain's armband today. wonder if there's any truth to that?

[jamison]

Part of the problem with Landon is expectations. Earnie Stewart scored in a buttload of qualies too, he led the team with 8 last round iirc, and was a team leader. However, there's a difference between games that are important and "big" games. Playing Costa Rica at home is important, and the goal he scored early to put us ahead was big for the team. It gave us confidence, and it exactly what was needed from a key player, a team leader.

The expectation with Landon though is that he will raise the bar higher. That he won't be just as good as a McBride, Stewart or Wynalda, but that he'll be better. Significantly better. That he'll be a world class player. The kind of player that could play on any team in the world. When he came off of the golden boot, after he scored vs. Mexico in the WC, after he continued to rise after WC02, people started to expect that of him.

Truly "big" games though are infrequent, maybe 1-2 a year. Away to Mexico and home to Mexico are the "biggest" games he'll play this year. The other games are "important", but it's when the pressure is specifically on him to put the team on his back and deliver is what determines if he is on that next level, or just one of the better players on our current highest level. The chorus got lounder after the Olympic quallie in Mexico when we looked for him to lead us, and he didn't.

Let's see what he does in Columbus.

[Sachin]

Well said, Jamison.

Sachin

[Fulham Fan]

I would argue that you have to speak of Landon's stamina in addition to his skill level, mindset, etc. He can run forever. If it's late in the game and your team is losing to the U.S., Landon Donovan will punish you endlessly with counterattacks and chasing your defenders off the ball. And that's a kind of leadership. It gives players a second wind just by watching him. You could argue that he brought a mostly quiet McBride back into the match by running onto the end of that header for the second goal. Not everyone would have.

[GoDC]

I have to disagree with Jamison. All 10 of these games are equally important. Yes Mexico is the best opponent but the other games count the same 3 points. We could lose both games to mexico and still qualify easily. And I totally discount the Olympic qualifier. It was a freaking Youth level game to play in a meaningless soccer tournament.

[GOOOOOLZ]

Keller kept the momentum alive. He was easily the man of the match.

[Eliezar]

I have to disagree with Jamison. All 10 of these games are equally important. Yes Mexico is the best opponent but the other games count the same 3 points. We could lose both games to mexico and still qualify easily. And I totally discount the Olympic qualifier. It was a freaking Youth level game to play in a meaningless soccer tournament.

All the games have the same significance, but away vs Mexico is where you need your players to step it up not at home vs El Salvador.

And another issue is that Landon thinks the US are too good for concacaf opponents. Of course he can play with that confidense. What happens against Germany or Korea or Liverpool when the pressure is on? Sure he scores against Mexico after the US already had the lead. When the pressure is on and there is reason to doubt is when Landon has been questioned.

[Roehl Sybing]

All the games have the same significance, but away vs Mexico is where you need your players to step it up not at home vs El Salvador.
We don't need to step it up at home? Why bother playing then?

[Eliezar]

The expression "step it up" is normally used when you need something extra or a special effort.

I'm sorry you do not understand English or that you cannot perceive that it takes a better effort to win in Mexico against Mexico than it does to win at home against El Salvador. I at least hope that you are trolling. 8(

[chad]

When the pressure is on and there is reason to doubt is when Landon has been questioned.

List the games, please. And it better be more than 1 game for Leverkusen and the England friendly. (The Azteca game this year: He hardly lost us the that game.)

[Roehl Sybing]

I at least hope that you are trolling. 8(
You know what? Take a breath and settle down. I'm sorry that you expect your ideas to go unchallenged and unchecked, maybe you shouldn't write them next time, I won't screen them then.

Christ. Babies, all of you.

[Roehl Sybing]

List the games, please. And it better be more than 1 game for Leverkusen and the England friendly. (The Azteca game this year: He hardly lost us the that game.)
Exactly. We have won a slew of other games in the meantime, if I recall.

[jmeissen0]

Truly "big" games though are infrequent, maybe 1-2 a year. Away to Mexico and home to Mexico are the "biggest" games he'll play this year.


actually... he would have had a few more a year than that


but we aren't suppose to talk about that dive

[GOOOOOLZ]

when we won, the thread about him is changing to positive and than we lose again than it turns to negative and than win again than positive again and than + and - and than + and - and + and - than + again and than - ..... :D

[Sinter]

someone always has to take the blame :)

It'd be nice to see Landon score more and play better in the "big" games, and he is still developing, but maybe that just isn't the type of player is. Good but not great.

[MikeLastort2]

It's a shame that Landon caused us to lose in Mexico, especially since we usually win there when we play World Cup Qualifiers.

It's also a shame that he also convinced Hugh Dallas that Torsten Frings didn't handle the ball in Ulsan.

[GOOOOOLZ]

I am just curious if his inconsistency has something to do with Bianca Kaljich ?
i'm sure they had s*x way too many time (i'm sure that what i do too if i live together with her ;) ), i am affraid i have to say this, Landon and her shouldn't see each other on the daily basis, but once a week instead.

[MikeLastort2]

I am just curious if his inconsistency has something to do with Bianca Kaljich ?
i'm sure they had s*x way too many time (i'm sure that what i do too if i live together with her ;) ), i am affraid i have to say this, Landon and her shouldn't see each other on the daily basis, but once a week instead.

This is a joke, right?

[TOTC]

I am just curious if his inconsistency has something to do with Bianca Kaljich ?
i'm sure they had s*x way too many time (i'm sure that what i do too if i live together with her ;) ), i am affraid i have to say this, Landon and her shouldn't see each other on the daily basis, but once a week instead.

Yeah, too many times for Landon to catch her kisses from the crowd and put them into his right pocket whenever he scores a goal.

[nobody]

Maybe Landon has a different idea than some of what a big game is. He got railed on a bunch for playing so-so in the friendly against England, which many touted as a "big" game, but in a qualifier against one of the biggest teams in our region he showed up.